ACI has issued an agenda for its June 27 and 28 asbestos litigation conference in Chicago. Chairs include Jonathan Lively of Chicago’s Segal McCambridge. The agenda is dominated by science, with lung cancer claims receiving substantial attention. The agenda calls for sessions on the "each and every fiber" argument and on "Differential Diagnosis and Gene Studies: Using Science to Understand the Evolution of Mesothelioma Claims." The lung cancer session agenda is as follows:
Lung Cancer: Examining the Increases in Claims, Medical Updates on New Studies Regarding Lung Cancer, and the Latest on Underlying Asbestos Exposure and Smoking Playing a Factor in Determining the Presence/Absence of Asbestosis
Thomas M. Hyers, M.D.
Clinical Professor of Medicine
St. Louis University School of Medicine
Jonathan M. Lively
Shareholder
Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney
Raymond R. Fournie
Partner
Armstrong Teasdale
Christopher Bruni
Partner
Sinunu Bruni LLP
• The increase in lung cancer filings, in Madison County and other parts of the country
• Medical update on new studies regarding lung cancer
• Determining whether there is presence of asbestosis
o Determining series of medical defenses that interposes to
liability
• How cigarette warnings correlate with warnings on asbestos products
• Examining plaintiff ’s argument that had they known of the dangers of asbestos products they would have followed the warning
• The distinction between lung cancer cases and traditional mesothelioma cases
o What are the different elements of proof?
• Examining the new body of claimants getting lung cancer, including the second disease case
• What is the connection between asbestos and smoking?
• Low dose exposure
• Underlying asbestos exposure: Assessing asbestos markers and dose
• Hybrid exposures: Asbestos and other types of exposure such as industrial plant exposure caused lung cancer; What caused the exposure?